BRAISED LAMB SHANKS WITH PEPPERS AND GARLIC Jeremiah Tower

4 servings

4 lamb shanks (about 4 ½ pounds total)
1 1/4 TSP. Salt
1 TSP. Fresh ground pepper
2 - 3 TBSP. Vegetable oil
36 cloves garlic, 24 peeled, 12 unpeeled
6 bay leaves
6 thyme sprigs + 1 TSP. Thyme leaves
3 ½ cups chicken stock or broth (preferably low sodium/salt)
1 large red bell pepper, cut into 1/4 inch strips
1 large yellow bell pepper, cut the same
1 TBSP. chilled unsalted butter
Chopped parsley to garnish

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Season the lamb shanks with 1 TSP. of the salt and ½ TSP. of the pepper. Put the vegetable oil in an ovenproof preheated cast iron type casserole just large enough to hold the lamb shanks. Add the lamb shanks and the unpeeled garlic cloves, bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Cook the shanks over moderate heat until evenly browned, about 15 minutes. Cover the casserole and roast the shanks in the oven for 2 hours, or until very tender, turning every 20 minutes.

Remove the shanks and set them aside. Add the chicken stock to the casserole and bring it to a boil over high heat, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Boil, skimming frequently, until reduced to two cups, about 10 minutes. Note: put two cups water in this casserole before you start the recipe so that you know how much 2 cups is. Use a chopstick or something else to measure the “2-cup” level.

Strain the stock and return it to the casserole. Add the peeled garlic cloves and simmer gently until tender, about 20 minutes. Return the lamb to the casserole and add the bell peppers and thyme leaves. Cover and cook over low heat until the peppers are tender, about 10 minutes.

Transfer the shanks to a warm serving platter. Stir the butter into the sauce and season with salt and pepper. Spoon the sauce around the shanks and serve. Garnish with chopped parsley.